USA > Iowa > Floyd County > History of Floyd County, Iowa : together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships, educational, religious, civil, military, and political history; portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens > Part 30
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104
June 22, 1875, overwhelming rain and wind, destroying and car- rying away bridges and much other property.
Nov. 15, 1877, an earthquake was perceived from Colorado to Wisconsin and from Olivet, Dak., to Topeka, Kan. The greatest energy of the earthquake was manifested along the Missouri River from Yankton to Sioux City, at 11:30 A. M., and along the Platte
20
316
HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
River from Columbus to Omaha, at 11:40 A. M. The principal shock reached the eastern, southern and western limit at 11:50, railroad time. From these points followed a velocity of motion of fully 600 miles per hour. A secondary line of greatest disturbance ran from Council Bluffs by way of Avoca, Boone and Waverly, Dubuque and McGregor. The effects ranged from a swaying and rolling motion of the ground, accompanied with a rumbling noise, alarming almost the entire population of a town, to the mere oscillation of chandeliers and liquids. Generally the effects were more pronounced on high ground, in brick buildings, especially in the upper stories of the latter. The more feeble manifestations were most readily recognized by children at their school desks and by cler- gymen, lawyers and editors at their writing tables. Several indi- vidnals of Floyd County distinctly noticed the oscillations of this earthquake wave.
April 21, 1878, occurred the great " storm of Easter Sunday," which swept over Iowa and just touched Floyd County. It con- sisted of high winds and hurricanes, destroying many lives and much property.
June 1, 1878, about 5 P. M., a tornado visited the southern part of the county. It struck with particular force and fury in Scott Township, and left destruction in its track. It totally de- molished the great barn on John W. Waller's "Stockdale " farm, though the house, but a few rods away, was left untouched. The . barn was 40x40, and scarcely anything was left of it but the foun - dation. There were 600 bushels of wheat in it belonging to Waller Bros. The house in which Mr. W.'s hired man, Albert Nitesell, lived, was blown all to pieces. One of Mr. N.'s legs was broken in two places. His wife's lower jaw was broken on both sides, and their child so injured that it died. Mrs. N.'s injuries were severe and dangerous. Another of Mr. Waller's houses was turned com- pletely over, landing on the ridge-pole, and then was crushed like an egg-shell ; but, strange to say, none of the occupants were seri- ously injured. On the Eade farm, the barn, a large one, and the windmill, were blown to " atoms." The horses in the barn were killed. Burt Johnson's house was also upset and crushed. The roof of the wing of Uriah Schermerhorn's house was blown clean off, and the main roof almost entirely denuded of shingles. A horse, running loose in the yard, was literally impaled by a flying rafter, which entered the body just in front of the hind leg and projected out on the other side immediately behind the fore leg.
1
317
HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
The school-house near Waller's smashed into kindling wood. It was a strong, well-built house. Another school-house, about a mile away, was also destroyed.
Coldwater Creek rose around the dwelling of Mr. Geirman until the family became frightened, when Mr. Geirman hitched up his team, and with his wife and hired man started for higher ground. The horses lost their footing and were swept into the deep water, and Mr. Geirman and his wife, and the horses, were drowned. The hired man clung to the wagon and floated to land some dis- tance below.
The storm was very severe in Pleasant Grove and Riverton Townships, injuring property belonging to Fred. Stevens, Steve Buckland, Uriah Schermerhorn and others. The tract of the storm was about a mile wide. Considerable damage was done at Rock- ford. The rain was so heavy that the resulting floods swept away nearly all the bridges. Crops also were badly damaged.
December, 1879, mercury 38 degrees below zero.
Feb. 3-5, 1881, rain, wind and snow, stopping travel. Also a cold and stormy March this year.
June 23, 1882, a gale occurred, blowing down signs and light buildings, frightening people into cellars, casting young fruit, damaging young crops, etc. A heavy rain accompanied this wind.
July 18, 1882, a hurricane visited the southern part of the town- ship of Cedar, of short duration and limited extent, but it demol- ished a few light structures and moved some heavier buildings from their foundations.
Oct. . 6, 1862, destructive prairie fires. Such conflagrations oc- curred some seasons from the first settlement of the county, until after the war, especially in the fall of 1867.
1864, a few cases of small-pox occurred in the county, but none of them fatal.
1878, diphtheria very prevalent.
ZOOLOGY.
Quadrupeds .- From that famous hunter and oldest resident of the county, Joseph Kelly, formerly referred to in this volume, we obtain the following facts relative to the comparative abundance or scarcity of the various four-footed animals which have subsisted within the present bounds of Floyd County, from the first settle- ment of the county to the present time.
318
HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
Buffalo were common, on the prairies in summer and in the tim- ber in winter; but it required only a few years of the white man's chase to kill them all off or drive them entirely from the country. In 1853, John Blunt, Charles Johnson and David Green, killed three buffaloes among the bur oaks, west of the place afterward occupied by William Montgomery, or northwest of Charles City.
Elk existed in early times in comparative abundance, but they succumbed to the aggressions of the white man as readily as the buffalo. In a former chapter of this work are related some anec- dotes of Mr. Kelly's experience with this noble animal.
Deer were abundant, keeping themselves generally in or near the timbered sections. They held their place here long after the disappearance of the buffalo and elk, but they are now seldom found, if ever, within the bounds of Floyd County. Only the one kind, the "Virginia deer" of the books, existed here.
The black bear was sometimes found in the woods in early days.
Joseph Kelly killed eight deer in one day in the fall of 1850, in the immediate vicinity of St. Charles. Rufus Clark, a Govern- ment surveyor, killed large numbers of bears, deer, elk and buffalo in this county, prior to its settlement in 1850.
Raccoons were once abundant, and are still found to some extent.
Opossums were very rare, only the tracks of one being found in this vicinity.
Panthers, rare. One was known to be tracked in this section.
Wild-cats were sometimes seen, and a larger number of lynxes.
Of foxes, both the red and the gray were common, but none are to be found at the present time.
Of wolves, both the large gray and the smaller prairie species were in abundance; some of the latter kind are still to be seen oc- casionally.
Beavers were abundant in 1850, but the Indians soon succeeded in killing and chasing them all away. They were noted for gnaw- ing down cottonwood and quaking-asp, on the banks of streams, and building dams across them. They have been known to gnaw down trees three feet in diameter.
Badgers were common, but they have long since disappeared.
Otters were abundant; there are some yet in this region.
Muskrats are still to be seen in considerable numbers.
The common gray rabbit is of course " common " enough here. The so-called "jack rabbit," or "prairie hare" of the books, has never been seen in this part of Iowa. Nor has this section of the
-
319
HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
country ever been the resort of the "prairie dog," a species of marmot common on the western plains.
Of squirrels, there are the gray timber, the fox, the chipmunk, the striped prairie, and the flying, in the order of their relative abundance. Their numbers scarcely diminish.
The woodchuck, or ground-hog, prevails even more than in early days.
There are a few mink, and still fewer weasels.
Skunks have grown from "occasional " to "many."
The prairie mole is abundant.
Gophers are common, and seem to hold their own as to numbers.
Of the bats, the dark brown species has been observed, and prob- ably also the reddish bat.
Fish. - Black bass, rock bass and silver bass are found in the streams of Floyd County, the relative abundance being in the order here given. That most popular of Iowa fishes, the pickerel, is common. The muscalonge, of this genus, is frequently found, but is becoming scarce. Wall-eyed pike is common. Buffalo, rare. Suckers, both black and white, abundant. Red horse, common. Mud cat-fish are common, sometimes attaining a weight of six to eight pounds. Bullheads are abundant, weighing from one to four pounds. The chub, a small fish, is common. The dace is also common. Perch, rare. Eels are sometimes caught. Shiners and minnows are of course abundant.
Reptiles .- Three species of turtles are found in Floyd County. The snapping turtle is abundant, and the soft-shelled and map tur- tles common. The most common snakes are the garter, black and water snakes. The prairie rattlesnake and the striped (massasauga) are becoming rare, as the country settles up. In early days some specimens of the "blue racer " were found.
Birds .- Most of the summer birds here, as elsewhere in this latitude, are migratory, coming from the South in the spring and returning in the fall. Ducks and geese are sometimes found, the former in considerable numbers. Prairie chickens used to be abun- dant, and even so tame as often to come into the villages. They are still found but are becoming more rare with the increase of p pu- lation and of hunters. Snipes, plovers, herons, quails and many other birds prevail.
In this connection we may mention that there are two good tax- idermists in Charles City,-Henry Williams and Mr. Fairbanks,
320
HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
who can give much information concerning the birds of Floyd County.
PREHISTORIC RACES.
From the very earliest ages down to the advent of the white man it is evident that the valley of the Mississippi River afforded an abundant supply of everything that was necessary for the support and increase of savage races.
There was a time when the Mississippi and the Ohio entered the great ocean a little above Cairo, through a common mouth, and, unlike many other rivers of the globe, their waters have always had free access to that ocean, from which they have always been well stocked with fish, and innumerable wild fowl has ever floated on their waters and nested on their banks, while the plains and forests of their water-sheds have always swarmed with wild game, and draining the center of a great continent of many miles in extent in a north and south direction, the savage had only to await the return of the vernal equinox to bring him along their banks a fresh supply of migratory fish, birds and animals, more sure and cer- tain than the crops of the civilized agriculturist. It was in this great valley, skirted in the distance by a double range of lofty mountains, that the white man found the Indian flourishing in all his savage glory, and, knowing its importance to the existence of his race, the stately savage fought long and hard for its retention before he gave way to superior force and discipline; and when he left he took with him his origin, his history, and his domicile, and but for an occasional upheaval of his dead, and the transient wan- derings of remnants of his race among us, it would be hard for us to prove that within the memory of men still living vast numbers of his race and kindred once occupied this soil.
Not until the Indian had glided out of sight did we begin to suspect that he himself was but the successor of other and distinct races who had preceded him in this great valley, and who, like himself, had yielded to that inevitable fate that befalls animate and inanimate life alike, and gradually that suspicion grew, until it has at last developed into a fixed and permanent reality that throughout the length and breadth of this vast continent other and distinct races from the Indian once held the sway of empire, and permanently occupied the soil; and one of whom, from the pecul- iar form of his earth-works, we call the " Mound-builder."
321
HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
Beginning at the mouth of the Mississippi River, on high lands beyond the reach of inundations, and following it upon either shore, as well as along the shores of its greatest and smallest tributaries, and the ridges and divides that separate them until all of their head waters are reached, one would never be out of sight of the works and remains of these strange people; and, judging from their ex- tent and vast number, as well as what we have before said of the prolific sources of food along the route, we must conclude that these people once existed in countless numbers.
Although we do not hear of any Indian mounds in Floyd County, it is probable that the mound-building race roamed through this region. While some believe that the Mound-builders were a distinct race, others (and among them Prof. Alex. Winchell, of the Michigan State University,) maintain that they were the ancestors of the present Indians. Judge Samuel Murdock, of Clayton County, Iowa, holds that the subjects in these mounds walked to the spots selected while alive, and there under a terrible superstition, now indicated by the shape and form of their heads, and drowned to every sense of life by some devilish and inspiring chant from the voices and instruments of their friends around them, quietly laid themselves down to be covered up by the sur- vivors ; and whether this immolation was forced or voluntary, its long practice finally resulted in the total extinction of the race.
ARCHEOLOGY.
There has been no extensive collection of the relics of an- cient human art in Floyd County. B. W. Stevens, of Charles City, has a cabinet of antiquities and curiosities, collected from various sources, which illustrate to some extent the state of civili- zation or invention prevailing among the ancient races of this con- tinent. There are other smaller collections.
Aug. 8, 1882, A. O. Green, of section 32, Cedar Township, this county, in digging a well on the top of a hill, found at the depth of fourteen feet a good piece of manufactured steel, about the size and shape of a pocket-knife blade, imbedded in a stratum of soft, dark gray sandstone. This curiosity belongs to no class of explained facts, and adds another remarkable mystery to the already long list with which archæologists have to deal.
As to meteorology, or climate, see chapter XVI, Miscellaneous.
CHAPTER III.
ORGANIC.
ORGANIZATION AND DIVISIONS.
In 1812, Iowa was included in the organization of the " Territory of Missouri." During the war of 1812-'15 the Indians of Iowa were in part friendly to the United States, but a great many favored the British. Treaties were concluded with them in 1815 and 1816.
Soon after the latter, the Goverment built Fort Armstrong no. Rock Island, which greatly incensed Black Hawk and other promi- nent chiefs; from this and other similar causes resulted the " Black Hawk war."
In 1821 the State of Missouri was formed, and the northern part of the former Territory was left in a condition of "political orphanage " for thirteen years, being included in no organized Terri- tory. In September, 1832, Gen. Scott concluded a treaty with the Sacs and Foxes, by which their title to 6,000,000 acres of land, since known as the Black Hawk Purchase, became extin- guished, and two large counties, Dubuque and Des Moines, were formed. Subsequent treaties and purchases were made in 1836, 1837, and 1842.
In 1834 the long unorganized region was incorporated in the " Territory of Michigan; " two years later in the " Territory of Wisconsin; " and two years still later, 1838, became the Territory of Iowa, which was divided into sixteen counties. Immigration commenced soon after the " Black Hawk Purchase, " and in the next few years increased very rapidly. When the Territory of Iowa was organized there were'23,000 people within its limits.
Floyd County is the fourth west of the Mississippi River, in the second tier from the north line of the State, and is therefore with- in the section usually denominated Northern Iowa. It is somewhat less than medium size in area, containing 504 square miles, or about 322,560 acres. The Congressional townships are 94, 95, 96, and the south half of ranges 15, 16, 17, and 18. The 43d parallel of north latitude runs through the county about five
(322)
323
HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
miles south of Charles City. The county was originally square, but is now twenty-one miles from north to south, and twenty-four miles from east to west. It is bounded on the north by the county of Mitchell, on the east by Chickasaw, on the south by Butler, and on the west by Cerro Gordo County.
The Legislature, by an act approved Jan. 15, 1851, defined the boundaries of Floyd County, thus: "Sec. 34. Be it enacted, etc., that the following shall be the boundaries of the new county, which shall be called Floyd; to wit: Beginning at the northeast corner of town 97, range 14, thence west to the northwest corner of 97, range 18, thence south to the southwest corner of 94, range 18, thence east to the southwest corner of 94, range 14, thence north to the place of beginning."
Floyd County was originally surveyed by Mr. Ball, of Waterloo, John Evarts, of Dubuque, and Alex. Andrews, of Dubuque County. For a time after the organization of this county, it was attached to Chickasaw for judicial and revenue purposes, by the following act:
"1. That the unorganized counties in this State be and are hereby attached to organized counties, as follows, to wit: Mitchell, Floyd, Howard, Worth and Franklin, to the county of Chickasaw. 2. When the citizens of any unorganized county desire the same organized, they may make application by petition in writing, signed by a majority ofthe legal voters of said county, to the judge of the county to which such unorganized county is attached ; whereupon said judge shall order an election for county officers in such unor- ganized county."
June 21, 1854, the people of this section petitioned Judge Lyon, of Chickasaw, " to be organized into a separate and distinct county." Of the Charles City signers of the petition, S. C. Goddard is the only one now living. Judge Lyon issued the order as petitioned for, and the first election for county officers accordingly took place Ang. 7, that year, eighty-five votes being cast. The officers elected were : John M. Hunt, County Judge ; S. C. Goddard, County Clerk ; Thomas Connor, Prosecuting Attorney ; Joshua Jackson, Treasurer and Recorder ; Wm. Montgomery, Sheriff ; J. G. Shoe- maker, Surveyor ; C. P. Burroughs, School Fund Commissioner ; D. B. Mead, Superintendent of Schools ; Horace Stearns, Assessor; Nicholas Fleenor, Coroner. Thomas Connor failed to serve and David Wiltse was appointed in his stead. The foregoing were elected in what was then known as "Floyd Township," which em-
324
HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
braced the whole territory of the present county; and when they were qualified as the laws prescribed, Floyd County was organized.
At that time Charles City ("St. Charles " then) was a hamlet with about half a dozen houses and less than a dozen voters. Mitchell and Howard counties were unorganized, lacking the con- stitutional amount of territory. Hence, Jan. 24, 1855, an act of the Legislature was approved, striking off a three-mile strip from the north side of Floyd County and added to Mitchell County. The words of the text of the act were as follows: 1. That the north half of township 97, of ranges number 11, 12, 13 and 14, following the line of the United States sub-division thereof, shall be and the same are hereby detached from Chickasaw County and attached to Howard County. 2. That the north half of township No. 97, of ranges No. 15, 16, 17 and 18, be and the same are hereby detached from Floyd County and attached to Mitchell County.
The passage of the foregoing act was secured by Rev. C. L. Claussen and Dr. Downs, who went to Iowa City, then the State capital, for the purpose. It is claimed by the citizens of Charles City that the above arrangement was made without consulting them and without their knowledge.
The territory of this county belonged to what was called the "Neutral Ground, " and was claimed by the Winnebagoes and Musquakies, who refused to give up possession because the Govern- ment was behind in the payment of their annuities. This matter, however, was amicably arranged in 1850, and in the fall of that year the lands were put in market, being advertised for November at Dubuque.
The first district into which any part of Floyd County was thrown in market was called the "Turkey River District," with the land office at Dubuque. All the land in the county east of range 16 went into that district, and all west of that range went into the Des Moines District, afterward called " Fort Dodge Dis- trict."
In April the Legislature made a new apportionment of the Con- gressional Districts, the Third to include the counties of Dubuque, Delaware, Buchanan, Clayton, Fayette, Bremer, Chickasaw, Floyd, Mitchell, Howard, Winneshiek and Allamakee.
ORIGIN OF THE NAME FOR FLOYD COUNTY.
By the Legislative act of 1851, the name "Floyd " was given to this county; but considerable discussion has been had with refer-
325
HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
ence to the question in honor of whom the name was given. Feb. 18, 1862, the following proceedings were had in the Iowa Legisla- ture: Senator Redfield, of Dallas County, introduced a bill changing the name of Floyd County to Baker County, in memory of the gallant hero who fell at Ball's Bluffs. Senator Ainsworth, of Fayette County, moved to amend by making the name Lyon. Senator Holmes objected to the amendment, as he lived in Jones County and wanted that name changed to Lyon. Senator Dun- combe, of Webster County, stated that Floyd County was not named after the Floyd " we hear so much about nowadays," but after a sergeant in Lewis and Clark's exploring expedition. Sen- ator Woodward, of Muscatine, inquired if the Senator from Dallas had introduced the bill in pursuance of the expressed desire of the people of Floyd County. Senator replied he had not; but under the impression that the county was named after the infamous trai- tor, John B. Floyd, and not wishing to live in a State having a county bearing this name, he introduced the bill. On the assur- ance of the gentleman from Webster he would withdraw it.
A writer in the Intelligencer of March 13, 1862, says:
"I see that the question whom this county was named for, is again being agitated. For myself I have very long considered that the name of Floyd was immortalized, and far above the reach of the glory or shame of the traitor Floyd, before he had a being. Hence, with me, there has been no association between the name of our county and the traitor, whenever he has been mentioned, supposing our county one of the twelve in our State named after the signers of the Declaration of Independence, Wm. Floyd, of Long Island, N. Y.
" At an early period of the controversy between the colonies and the mother country, this man warmly interested himself in the the cause of the former. His devotion led to his appointment as delegate from New York to the First Continental Congress. He was re-elected and remained until he affixed his signature to the Declaration of Independence. He was afterward a General in the army, a State Senator, a Congressman, and held other offices of trust, for more than fifty years. He suffered severely from the destructive effects of the war upon his property, and for nearly seven years his family were refugees from their habitation. Few made greater sacrifices for our country, and I am unwilling that the name of so good a man should be cast off as a reproach, by the infamy of a degraded wretch. Neither can there be any odium
326
HISTORY OF FLOYD COUNTY.
attached to the name disconnected with the guilty man, or any more to the name of Floyd than to that of John; and it is not probable that all the Johns will petition for an alteration of their names. Indeed, few of us wear names that have not been tar- nished by somebody; but we generally consider that the infamy rests on the man and not on the name.
" Although I cannot think the name of our county was given in honor of the Floyd who is now a traitor, nor to Sergeant Floyd, yet, to put this matter forever at rest and relieve the feelings of all, and avoid the inconvenience of changing the name of our county, I propose to get up a petition at once, representing our abhorrence of the traitor Floyd, but requesting that the name of our county remain in honor of William Floyd, the signer of the Declaration of Independence; and, further, that our petition be entered on the Journals of our Legislature."
B.B. Van Steenburg, formerly of Floyd, this county, and now of Spirit Lake, says he was once appointed a member of a com mittee to investigate the origin of the name of the county, and that the result of their investigations was that the county was named'in honor of a topographical engineer, who died near Sioux City before the war, about the time his labors as a surveyor were completed. Another version, more plausible than any, is that when in 1851 the General Assembly of 1851 had several new counties to name, the committee on the subject reported a long list of names of emi- nent men in the early history of the United States, of battles in Mexico, and of Irish patriots; and from these the Legislature chose what seemedmost proper.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.